Does refitting a rear wheel slacken the chain...?

[User482]

Agree with this. There's very little I can't do on a bike now. It's saved me a fortune in servicing over the years.

Yep - headset pressing, wheel building and hydraulic shock/ brake servicing are about all I can't do as well as a properly equipped LBS.

 

[Maz]

In preparation for the repair this w/e hopefully...

Any hints/tips for re-sizing the new chain? This doesn't seem to be covered in the instructions I've seen so far which concentrate mainly on cassette removal/refitting.
Do you lay the old and new chain next to each other, then use the chain tool to remove the first 'surplus' link in the new chain? Does a new chain normally come as a single piece or are separate links included??

I'm getting nervous now.

 

[HLaB]

In preparation for the repair this w/e hopefully...

Any hints/tips for re-sizing the new chain? This doesn't seem to be covered in the instructions I've seen so far which concentrate mainly on cassette removal/refitting.
Do you lay the old and new chain next to each other, then use the chain tool to remove the first 'surplus' link in the new chain? Does a new chain normally come as a single piece or are separate links included??

I'm getting nervous now.

Any time I've replaced a chain (only done it twice) it wasn't complicated and the new chain was a single piece (if that the correct term). The new chains were longer than the old so I just laid out both the old and the new chain and removed a couple of links on the new chain (with a chain tool) to make them the same/similar length, threaded it through the jockey wheels etc and joined them (one had a quick link the other I had to fit it with a chain tool).

 

[fossyant]

Your old chain will have stretched slightly, but bet on removing 2-4 links. The difference in chain length between new and old will be tiny.

 

[Maz]

Thank you, HLaB and fossyant.
I might try and remove the cassette tomorrow, as I now have the tools to do that part of the job. Still waiting on new parts.
Cheers

 

[Maz]

OK, chaps - some more help please.

I've taken the old cassette off - dead easy (sorry, giant man, it really was dead easy!). Do I need to put any grease or anything on the hub/spline thingy that the new cassette will slide onto? My guess is the answer is 'no', but I wanted to check first.

Thanks for the advice thus far!
Cheers
Maz

 

[Maz]

Any takers for the above question?

 

[HLaB]

I only took my first cassete off last month, and I asked the same question. I don't know if its right or wrong; I opted to add a thin layer of grease to the Hub it seems OK ?

 

[giant man]

There should be a thin layer of grease already on the splines Maz? Was on my new wheel anyway.

 

[Maz]

There should be a thin layer of grease already on the splines Maz? Was on my new wheel anyway.

You mean grease on the splines of the new cassette? There is a little bit. I wondered if I had to supplement that by putting a bit more grease on the wheel's cassette-axle/hub thingy.

 

[User482]

I always use a thin smear of grease on the freehub body - stops it getting all rusty.

 

[spandex]

just put it on it will be fine mate

 

[Maz]

Thanks for the info, everyone.
I will return to this thread when I balls up the chain re-fitting.
Cheers.

 

[Maz]

WAHAY! JOB DONE!
Now I'll get my own tools for next time AND do the job in a fraction of the time as well!
Thanks for helping me out.
Special thanks to fossyant for taking the trouble to give me instructions (and encouragement).

Cheers.

 

[fossyant]

Well done that man - easy isn't it....... now look after the chain, keep it lubed and clean - good wipe down with an oily rag and run the rag in between the rear sprockets to clear the crap out of them....

Right, headsets next........